Florida Flea Markets

Florida Flea Markets make an interesting side trip when vacationing in the Orange Juice State. Because so many folks retire to the state and bring their posessions with them you may find anything from anywhere in a Florida bazaar. Of course, there will be the usual assortment of tools and household goods available in any of the flea markets near your home.  Also there will be some items common to the region. Fresh seafood, recreational vehicle parts and an over abundance of sunglasses are only some of the items peculiar to the area and common in these marketplaces.

Many of the markets in Florida are huge.  The Wagon Wheel in Pinellas Park near Tampa and Clearwater claims to have over two thousand venders. The Saturday I was there they had a live band and a couple of solo performers in different parts of the market. Look for the boxes with the Wagan Wheel Directory. The paper will save you time if you are looking for a particular item.  Parking is $1.00.  Hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Saturday and Sunday.  Rain or Shine.

The International Market World Flea Market on Highway 92 in Auburndale is another giant bazaar. Open Friday thru Sunday, the market boasts over 1200 vendors. Live music and a circus. Some of the specialty shops I saw when I strolled though early one Sunday morning include boots, pet supplies, golf, RV parts, knives and outdoor gear.

I like smaller markets.  My favorite during my visit was the 66th Street Flea Market in Pineallas Park. I found an old tea pot in Dog Tag Heros, a Veterans benefit store in the market. The market has lots of old stuff as well as new stuff.  It is in a great location with other thrift stores near by. Twice a month there are also auctions.

How to find Florida Flea Markets is easy.  Yes, Google for them in the area you are traveling to. Use the search term "flea market in" plus the town you are traveling to. There are other ways to locate a good market in the Sunshine State.  Here are some ideas.

First, when you cross into the state stop at the visititor center and while you are about stretching your legs and drinking the free orange or grapefruit juice look over the brochures. I found several for the area I was traveling through.  Some with coupons.

Next, take one of the older highways. I traveled the Suncoast Highway (Hwy 19) and Highway 27 and 92 on my recent trip. I found interesting antique shops and small markets along the way. I would not have encountered any of them if I had stayed on I-75 and I-4 for the whole trip. So if you don't have a need for speed get off the interstate and explore. It may add a little time to the trip but you will be more relaxed and have a lot more fun.

Lastly. Ask folks about "interesting" or "the best flea markets" for the towns you are traveling to and through.  Folks love to talk about their finds.

Visiting a Florida flea market will add another dimension to your trip.  You will find local art and food.  If you have forgotten something it is likely you can pick it up there. Some, especially near the coast where land is more expensive, charge a nominal parking fee. Usually a dollar.  Don't let it deter you. You will find some great deals.

Adairsville Flea Market

Update: July 2016 Last I checked this was closed

I visited the Adairsville Flea Market on a Sunday morning in August (2011). Located in the old Ford dealership just south of Adairsville it is convenient to Cartersville and Calhoun also.

In what was once the showroom for new cars you can find furniture and other antiques and collectables.  There is also a jewelry shop.

Back in the former service area there are stalls which can be rented on a monthly basis. There are also spots for daily rental and outdoor tables.  There is still plenty of room for new venders in this recycled car lot.
 

Besides antiques there were clothes, knickknacks, shoes, appliances, knives good used furniture and many other things you expect to find in a North Georgia Flea Market. Unusual items I found were Carpenter Bee Traps and Saw Blade Knives with antler handles. 

The Adairsville Flea Market is easy to find with plenty of parking. There is still plenty of room for knew dealers.  The two I spoke to about the market were pleased with their sales that weekend.

Landers, Frary and Clark Universal

 Landers, Frary and Clark of New Britain, Connecticut was a manufacturer of housewares and appliances as well as many other items.  Their company was formed in 1865.  In 1965 they were bought out by General Electric.

I first became aware of the company a few weeks ago when my sister called with a question about an old military first aid kit with L F & C stamped into it.  As it turned out the kit was from the Korean War. A collector was able to determine the age from the dates on the medicines in the kit. Depending on condition and which war the kit was manufactured for the value for an antique military first aid kit may go as high as $200.  Sis sold hers for about $65.

One of the common kitchen brands associated with this company is Universal. I have found a sausage grinder with this brand on the body and L F & C on the crank. On the other side of the handle are patent numbers dating back to 1897. Another of their brands from the 1940's is Climax.

Antique Universal E-9410 Sweetheart Electric Toaster On Ebay

They made hundreds of different items over their century of existence.  Most were for the home and kitchen.

Here is a list some of the more common Landers Frary & Clark items. The links will take you to current examples of items for sale on Ebay:

• Aetna Knives
• Mother of Pearl Flatware
• Landers Frary Clark Coffee Pot
• Universal Percolator
• Landers Frary & Clark Coffee Grinder
• Universal Thermos
• Landers Frary Clark Military Items

Your clues will be an L F & G stamped on the item, New Britain Connecticut or Aetna Works. Also look for the Universal and Climax brand names which were used by Landers Frary and Clark. This manufacturer disappeared in 1965 so anything you find will probably be more than fifty years old.

Hwy 108 Red Garage Flea Market

 Hwy 108 Red Garage Flea Market near Canton, Georgia.

Update: Last I checked this one was no longer open. Just another piece of Flea Market history. Below is my review from 2011.

Just up the hill from the Vault Pawn and 108 Flea Market is the Red Garage Flea Market. A tiny market that specializes in old tools. They have other stuff also, but I have found more antique tools there than I have found at many other markets. On my last visit I found antique irons, a bracket bit brace and two Universal (A brand name that disappeared in 1965 when GE bought Landers, Frarry and Clark) sausage grinders.

They also have good used modern tools. Saws, hammers drills and many others. There were also about two dozen folding chairs for sale and a box of old 45 records. If you are traveling Highway 108 between Waleska and Ballground look for this flea market, it is worth the stop.

Highway 41 North Flea Market in Calhoun

The Highway 41 North Flea Market is located on the north side of Calhoun across from Battlefield Lumber and Supply. When I stopped by in early March there were about a dozen vendors set up. Lots of good used stuff. Furniture. Lawnmowers. Tools. DVD's and games. Some glassware, dishes and collectibles.

It is an outdoor market with only a couple of dozen tables but plenty of room for a vendor to set up his own. Tables were renting for four dollars a day but I would expect the price to rise to $5. It is in a great location. Definitely a place to check out if you are looking for a spot for The Dixie Highway Yard Sale coming in early June.

They have sausage and baloney sandwiches as well as coffee if you want breakfast.

My one complaint is the entrance. They have only a small driveway for entrance and exit.

108 Flea Market Near Waleska

 The 108 Flea Market will be closing at thee end of this month, October, 2011.  I will hat to see it go But I am sure I will see my friends from at other markets and auctions in the area.

The 108 Flea Market near Waleska is small but one of my favorites.  You will find a little of everything and it is always changing.  There are antique bicycles, collectible dolls, electronics, radios, TVs, jar openers, CDs, DVDs and tools. Often you will find fresh baked bread, home canned goods and fresh eggs. Last weekend I brought home a jar of chow-chow.  They are open every Saturday and Sunday. In April and through the summer they will be open on Fridays also.

If you have goods to sell there set up fees are very reasonable.

The 108 Flea Market has events with gospel and country music a couple of times a year. They are free to whoever wants to come.  The next one is scheduled for Saturday, April 16, 2011.  I'll have more details in  a couple of weeks or check them out on Twitter @108fleamarket.

Besides the flea market their is an auction open Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:00 which sales general merchandise and household goods.

Out in front of the flea market is The Vault, a pawn shop.  They buy gold and have a huge selection of DVDs, as well as laptop computers, games and other stuff for sell.They are open Monday through Saturday till 5:00. Their main store is located in Roswell.

The 108 Flea Market and The Vault are located on Highway 108.  Look for them on the right about three miles from Walska going towards Jasper. A short ride from Canton and the Lake Arrowhead community.

Talking Rock Flea Market

This flea market near Talking Rock, Georgia is one of a kind.  Full of antiques, it is a place you can not walk through without seeing some item that draws a memory out from your past.  Even the market itself is an antique, located in an old school.

As you wonder through the old school you will find rooms packed with old iron ware, tools, antique furniture, books, lamps, cooking utensils, radios, glassware and much more.  The hallways are filled also. Think of what a hundred estate sales would look like crammed into a 1960's elementary school.

Behind the school are two flea market sheds crammed with stuff that wasn't quite good enough to be put inside.  Old typewriters, baby beds and other assortments of bric-a-brac.

Look for the exit for Hwy 136 on your left if you are heading North out of Jasper on Hwy 515 (I-575 below Ballground.) At the end of the exit turn left on to Hwy 136.  Look for the old school on the left as soon as you cross under 515.  If you are on Hwy 136 coming from Amicalola Falls the Talking Rock Flea Market will be on your right as you come up toy Hwy 515.

Trenton Flea Market

The Trenton Flea Market in Trenton, Georgia sits in town next to the CVS Pharmacy.  It is just an empty gravel parking lot.  Bring your own tables. Throw a tarp on the ground.  Sell out your trunk or pickup truck.   A great location.  Good traffic.

I set up at the Trenton Market the Thursday before Christmas with my sister.  I was on my way to spend the holidays with her in Tennessee.  She had been telling me about the Trenton Market for a while. 

The market is open on Thursdays as well as weekends. Middle of the week days are pretty slow for most flea market folks, but I had been hearing for a while that this was a hot spot.  The location makes this spot.  Good road traffic. 

I like the way the market is set up.  It is easy for folks to see from the road.  Easy to get in to.  Easy to find your way around.  On the morning I was there the weather was clear, bright and cold with temperatures in the twenties.  Many folks would drive between the aisles, roll down there windows, ask questions and buy stuff.  I made as many sells this way as I did to folks walking around.

No permanent vendors, though you will see many of the same ones week after week.  The location draws folks from Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama.  Spots were five dollars on the day I was there.  Sales were as expected for a cold winter morning but better than I could have hoped for anywhere else during the middle of the week.

If you are looking for a place to sell your wares during the week give this one a try.  Spots go on a first come basis and generally disappear around daybreak.  Most of the vendors leave around noon. 

You will find jewelery, hats, clothes, tools, vegetables and the usual assortment of household goods at the Trenton Flea Market in Trenton, Georgia.